


in every universe

by patrickbrewer



Series: Flufftober 2019 [1]
Category: Schitt's Creek
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Compliant, Christmas Morning, Dancing, First Meetings, Fluff, Flufftober, Introspection, Kissing, Lots of kissing, M/M, Meet-Cute, Wedding Night, soft
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-02
Updated: 2019-10-07
Packaged: 2020-11-10 14:49:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,242
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20853551
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/patrickbrewer/pseuds/patrickbrewer
Summary: It’s the grip on David’s waist, firm and unwavering.





	1. this dance

**Author's Note:**

> Flufftober Day 1 - Dancing

It’s the grip on David’s waist, firm and unwavering.

It’s the press of Patrick’s chest against his own as he pulls him closer, and the warmth of his lips against David’s neck as he leans his head on his shoulder.

It’s the curl of his hair, grown out longer than David has ever seen it.

It’s the warmth of his skin.

It’s the brush of his breath as he quietly sings along to song after song, not once looking away from David’s eyes. 

It’s the way his bowtie is slightly crooked, and the faint shadow of lipstick on his cheek from Moira’s kiss, and the loving glances that Marcy keeps offering them as they turn around and around.

It’s all of these things that remind David that he is lucky, that he is cherished, that he is loved, that he is and always will be held, spun, dipped, and lifted by these hands. 

That this dance they’re in, slow and graceful and secure, is all their own. 


	2. new traditions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He slides the hot chocolate toward David wordlessly. 
> 
> David looks up, finally, meeting Patrick’s eyes. He blinks a few times, brown eyes confused, and Patrick offers him a soft smile. 
> 
> “It’s my comfort drink,” he explains. “You look like you can use it. Also, the snow is really coming down out there and it doesn’t look like you brought a jacket, so I think you might actually _need_ it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Flufftober Day 2 - Snow

When Patrick enters the cafe around 9:00 am on Christmas morning he expects it to be empty, the usual customers at home celebrating with their families. He _doesn’t_ expect to see David Rose sitting at the counter, hunched over and spinning an empty plate around absently. The sound of the glass is almost haunting, paired with the quiet music playing through the speakers, and Patrick pauses in the doorway.

He’s only seen David from afar in the couple weeks he’s been here, and he can’t help but be slightly intimidated by the dark sweaters and big attitude. But Patrick has also never seen anyone quite like him before, so he’s a little intrigued. 

“Hey, Patrick!” Twyla calls cheerily, drying her hands with a towel as she walks out of the kitchen. “Start you off with a cup of coffee?”

“Please,” Patrick replies, offering her a grateful smile. 

She’s a quick learner. She memorized his order in a matter of three days. 

As she turns around and disappears once more, Patrick hesitates, debating whether he should grab a booth for himself or be brave and sit at the counter. David didn’t turn around when Twyla greeted him, but the plate is still now. Instead, he’s fiddling with the rings on his fingers.

Patrick steps forward, sitting two seats to David’s right.

He glances to the side as nonchalantly as possible, trying to get a good look at David’s face. It’s not a perfect view, but he seems tired, like he hasn’t slept in a while. 

“Hey, Twyla?” Patrick calls softly, hoping she’ll hear him over the rattle of dishes.

She peeks her head around the doorway. “Yeah?”

“Would you mind bringing out a hot chocolate as well, please? Extra whipped cream?”

“Sure thing!”

It only takes a few minutes before Twyla returns, sliding the two drinks onto the counter and telling him to enjoy. He thanks her, making a mental note to tip her extra today. She leaves once more, and he feels his face get a little hot as he slides the hot chocolate toward David wordlessly. 

David looks up, finally, meeting Patrick’s eyes. He blinks a few times, brown eyes confused, and Patrick offers him a soft smile. 

“It’s my comfort drink,” he explains. “You look like you can use it. Also, the snow is really coming down out there and it doesn’t look like you brought a jacket, so I think you might actually _need_ it.”

David’s mouth falls slightly open, shocked at the gesture. Patrick is almost expecting him to decline, the slide it back to him and leave. Instead, one corner of his mouth lifts just slightly, barely noticeable even though Patrick is paying close attention, and he pulls the mug the rest of the way toward him.

“Um,” he says, voice quiet, “thank you. You didn’t have to do that.”

“Must be the Christmas spirit possessing me,” Patrick jokes, earning a wider grin.

“I haven’t celebrated in years,” David says, looking down at his drink and picking up a spoon to swipe at the whipped cream. “My family hasn’t exactly been in the mood.” 

Patrick nods. He’s heard the story, how the Rose family lost everything and were forced to move here a few years ago. He wonders if they’ve grown used to the quiet, or if they’ll always be stuck in the past. 

“Well there’s nothing wrong with making new traditions.” 

David looks up again at that, a look on his face that Patrick doesn’t know well enough to interpret, but he thinks it’s something good. Something hopeful. 

“Yeah,” David says, head tilting slightly before he gets up and moves so that there’s now only one seat between them. “Maybe.”


	3. stepping stones

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Patrick is tired of ‘_supposed to_’s being his stepping stones, especially when all they’ve ever done is send him tumbling into suffocating rapids he barely managed to stay afloat in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> day 7 - second kiss

Their second kiss is different than the first. 

Patrick feels in control this time. He can lean in without fearing he’ll have to run away again, even further from the place he used to call home. He does it slow, careful, gripping David’s waist and holding his gaze right up until the last second. David smiles into it, mouth soft, and _god_, Patrick feels ridiculous for the way he warms all over. 

It doesn’t even last more than a few seconds, but he’s in deep, so unbelievably overcome with affection for this man he’s only known for a month. He wants to write a song for him, wants to eliminate every inch of space between them until he can’t remember his own name, wants to cook for him and go on dates with him and just _be_ with him. Because he’s never gotten that before, never been able to just be himself in a relationship. 

He _wants_, everything, anything. 

And now David is pulling back, eyes narrowed playfully, and Patrick both loves and hates that he already knows it means he’s about to do that thing where he acts offended but is actually amused. He definitely hates that he spent so many years missing this, being so unaware of the way the slide of a single fingertip across his skin could be his undoing, so oblivious to the possibility of the pleasurable scratch of stubble on his cheek when they kiss, to the easy way their hands fit together.

He loves him. He loves David Rose, more than anything or anyone he’s ever loved in his life. 

It’s way too soon, unbelievably so, and if his past self could see him now he’d be having a total meltdown, gesturing to his carefully managed calendar. But Patrick is tired of ‘_supposed to_’s being his stepping stones, especially when all they’ve ever done is send him tumbling into suffocating rapids he barely managed to stay afloat in. 

“I just need you to say nice person,” David says, arms moving through the air to emphasize his request.

“You’re a _good_ person,” Patrick replies, grinning and tugging him closer.

No one ever provided him with a lifeboat or a raft. He had to find his own way to shore, and now he’s here, in the arms of someone he’s fully comfortable with. 

“That’s not nice.” 

Patrick kisses him again, and again, and again, until he’s completely lost in the motions.

And if the past few months have proven anything to him, it’s that he is perfectly capable of handling himself and his heart. But as David tangles his fingers in his hair and pulls back briefly just to smile at him, he thinks he doesn’t mind letting David handle him too. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm posting this like 40ish minutes early because i'm gay and do what i want
> 
> come visit me on tumblr and twitter @patrickbrewcr!

**Author's Note:**

> okay so last year i did flufftober and did every single prompt and by the time it was over i was so burnt out from forcing all of that content that i couldn't write for months afterward, so i'm just going to see how this goes. if a prompt doesn't spark inspiration, i'm just going to skip it in order to preserve my sanity. 
> 
> also, most of these will be short! i am an english and creative writing double major so i have plenty of school-related writing to do as is khfgdjsl


End file.
